LAKE BLUFF, ILLINOIS -- I brought my S-Type Jaguar to Imperial Motors in the Chicago/Milwaukee area today because my key transmitter stopped working. Sounds like a small issue, right? Wrong.

I spoke to a [snip], the service manager, about the issue and he told me it was going to be ~$60 to reprogram the key. I told him to proceed. We waited a few minutes and [snip] came out and said "Can't be programmed, but you can buy a new one for $330". We rejected and said we'd just live with it. I told him to just give me the key and we'd be on our way, but this guy had the nerve to actually charge me for doing absolutely nothing. I had a feeling this sleezebag was just trying to get me to buy a new key, and it turns out I was right. I took the key to another dealership and they went through the process with no problems whatsoever.

I would highly advise not going to this dealership to even change your oil, nonetheless buy a car. We spoke to the general manager and he actually backed up this guy.

We also asked the general manager to give us a price for trade-in on the vehicle and he came back about $6,000 below blue book. Just nuts.

Little did Mr. Manager know that I had actually just moved to the area and am looking to buy a new XK in the coming weeks. He saw me in an old S-Type and belittled me to some 25 year old punk that wasn't anywhere near his clientèle.

I hope the $60 was worth it, Mr. Manager. Oh, and by the way, your sham of a dealership is the first Jaguar dealer I've been in that doesn't even have cookies/drinks for your customers.

The day you have to have your Jag towed because it won't start, refer to the complaint you wrote--unless you unload your car on some unsuspecting sucker by then. But you better hurry because it won't be very long before it starts to fail again. This was explained to me by a very well respected, in business for over 30 years, repair shop owner who makes sure he and his employees regularly attend instructional seminars.

I'm surprised the price was so low. It cost me $360 for my Mustang. Ironic that someone who has the $$$ to buy a new Jag complains about no cookies/drinks at the dealership. What are you shopping for, a new car or a free meal?